Duke University
Tier2-3: Model Room in a Residence Hall

During the summer of 2010, prospective students on campus tours viewed a model Green Dorm Room that showed them how live sustainably at Duke. The Green Dorm Room is a project by Sustainable Duke and three students from the Students for Sustainable Living program.Green Dorm Room Funded by a $500 grant from the Duke STARS program, a group that allocates funding to sustainability-related projects at Duke University, the room in Few Quad was furnished with about 20 sustainable items purchased from Whole Foods Market, Target and Etsy.com, a website that sells sustainable goods made by artisans around the world. According to results from Duke's Green Devil Challenge - a monthly effort to promote sustainable behavior at Duke - students at the university average about one metric ton of carbon dioxide emissions annually from dorm room energy and water usage. Biodegradable toiletries and cleaning products, and a power strip that automatically turns off electronics were some items featured in the room. A sign accompanied each product and explained what the item was and how it made the room more sustainable. Some items will also be shown in a Few Quad common room when students arrive on campus in August. Due to a shortage of rooms for resident students, the Green Dorm room was not open during the 10-11 academic year. However, in true sustainable fashion, all items will be reused each summer as a highlight of Duke campus tours and in future academic years. What's in the room? * Organic sheets & pillows * "Smart" power strip that turns off electronics * Lamp made with recycled bottles * Area rug made of recycled plastic * Clothes drying rack * Aluminum water bottle * Biodegradable laundry detergent * Reusable shopping bag * Compact florescent light bulbs * Bike helmet * Chemical-free cosmetics * Biodegradable cleaning supplies * Wall art printed on recycled paper with soy inks